Psotegtoe foe eleoteio gieouits



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. W. DYEB.

PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Patented Feb. 5, 1884.

{WM CU.

(No Model.) I 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. W. DYER.

PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 292,796. Patented Feb. 5, 1884.

dkd-egi- XIIIVBDIZOI 94 mm J. 9 mm Q ax, w. 6

JJ R

Ame

UNITED STATES PATENT @EincE.

.TOSIAHWV. DYER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEXXSYLYANIA.

PROTECTOR iFOR ELECTRlC ClRCUlTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,796, dated FebruaryK Application filed October S, 1883. (X0 model.)

To (0Z1? whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSIAH W. Drnn, of the city of Philadelphia, countyof Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvementin Protectors for Electric Circuits, of whichthe following is aspecification.

Myiuvention has reference to devices adapted to protect electriccircuits and the instruments therein from injury or destruction, due tothe overcharging of said line with currents of high tension or greatquantity, or both combined; and it consists in certain improvementsfully set forth in the following specification and shown in theaccompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

The object of myinvention to form a compact, durable, and cheapinstrument, adapted to the requirements of telephone-circuits, telegraphlines and cables, or any electrical circuit in which instruments ofconsiderable resistance are located, whereby the instruments in saidlines or cable shall be protected from danger of being burned when thesaid lines are overcharged with electrical currents of high tension orgreat quantity, or both, such as produced by lightning ordynamo-electric machines.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved electric-circuitprotector. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of same on line as .r. Fig. 3shows its attachment to a submarine cable; and Figs. & and 5 areskeleton views, showing the circuit-protector as applied to cables, theformer illustrating the same when the electrical charge in the line orcable is normal, and the latter when the said charge is abnormal.

A is the base-plate, and B is a compound electro-magnet, in which thecores are surrounded with coils of high resistance, 0, and lowresistance, D. These coils are shown as separate and on differentportions of the core; but it is evident that the tine and coarse wiremay be coiled one above the other, like an induction-coil. The line-wireenters the binding-post R, and the current passes by wire V through thefine-wire coils C, and connects by wire V with the armature-lever F,which latter is provided with the soft-iron armature E, and acontactbar, 1, respectively arranged on opposite sides of the fulcrum G,supported by standards H. J J are two standards, and are provided withspring-brushes K, which,when the armature E is drawn away from themagnet B by spring 1, made adjustable by ten sion-shai't Q, remainequidistant between the said posts J J and bar I, as shown. One end ofthe coarse wire of the coils l) connects with wire V or binding-post Itby wire V and the other end connects with one of the posts or standards,J, and the other post or standard, J, is connected with the binding-postT by wire Vflwhich in turn is connected with the ground or line-wirebinding-post U by wire Y. If desired, the post T may be considered theground binding-post. The armature-lever F is provided 011 the back witha spring-contact, O,which,when the armature is away from the magnet B,presses against the contactscrew M, carried in standard L, and preventedfrom rotating by set-screw X. This post L is connected with thebinding-post S by wire V.

If the instrument is used for telephony, the telephone circuit \V islooped in bindingpostsS and T, and contains the telephone apparatus X.The action is as follows: The on dinary electric current passes downwire Y, coils C 0, wire V armature-lever F, spring 0, screw M, post L,wire Y, binding-post S, wire TV, telephone apparatus X, wire XV,binding-post T, wire V binding-post U, and to ground without attractingarmature. Now, should the line-wire become overcharged by the lightningand the electric charge have considerable tension but small quantity,then the coils G C of magnet B magnetize the core and cause the armatureE to be attracted. This action causes the contact-bar I to .touch thetwo brushes K K, grounding the line through coils O and D and shuntingthe telephone apparatus X. As the armature is still further drawn overnow by the combined magnetic effectproduced by both higlrresistancecoils (i) and low-resistance coils D, the spring 0 leaves thecontact-screw M, thereby opening one end of the telephone-circuit 1) andpressing the brushes K K over against the standards .7 J", making apositive connection. Xow the current passes through both coils G and1'), bar 1, standard J to ground. It the excess ive current be onlymomentary, then the arnnr ture will [all back again and automaticallyswitch in the telephone and break the ground connection of thecoarse-wire coils D, so that all of the current once more passes throughthe fine-wire coils C. If a current from a dynamo-electric machine passinto the line-wire, then the instrument acts as before, and the maincurrent passing over the coarse wire of the coils D prevents thefine-wire insulation from burning, and holds the armature up until theexcessive current is removed. In practice the instrument is found towork instantaneously. In the case of marine cables, the cable is securedto post S, and preferably the screw M is screwed up until the contactwith spring 0 is never broken. Now, when an overcharge of electricitygets into the airline it is automatically passed to ground by thearmature, and the terminal of the cable is also automatically groundedthrough screw M, spring 0, lever F, bar I, standard J,wire

1N post T, Vire V", post U, and ground-wire,

and thereby the back, or what is technically known as the kick, currentis allowed to pass off into the ground also. This extra current isproduced in the cable in the opposite direction after the transmittedcurrent has ceased. It is produced by the static charge in the cable. Ofcourse, while I prefer to ground the cable-terminal, it is evident thatby leaving the screw M set, as in case of telephony or telegraphy, thecable-terminal would be left open when the air-line was grounded. Thismethod of working the cable from an airline in connection with aprotector, such as described, is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, whichfigures show the protector under the influence of normal and abnormalcurrents respectively.

\Vhile I do not limit myself to any particular resistances for the coilsO and D, yet for all practical purposes the resistance of coils 0 mayvary from five to fifteen ohms, and coils D from one-fourth to one andone-half ohm.

In this application I do not claim the application of the two coils Oand D of different resistances, broadly, as that forms subjectmatter ofanother pending application of mine. 1

If desired, a single-leg magnet may be used, and the apparatus may bemodified in various ways without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1.. In an instrument for protecting electric circuits and theirreceiving-instruments from damage by lightning or excessive electricalcharges generally, two coils of wire of different resistances carriedupon the same core, and acting upon an armature, in combination with aline-wire in circuit with the coil of highest resistance, and havingreceiving-instruments thereon, and mechanism controlled by the armatureto first shunt said receivinginstrument and throw the low-resistancecoils into circuit, and then break the original linecircuit close to thereceiving instruments when the said line becomes overcharged withelectricity, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a line-circuit, -coils C and D, of differentresistances, located upon the same core, with armature E and its lever,contact-springs, and circuit-closing devices actuatedby said armature tofirstmake contact with said springs'to complete the line-circuit throughthe low-resistance coil, and simultaneously therewith shunt the coil ofhigh resistance, and then make a solid contact to illsure the groundingof the line through said low-resistance coil, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

8. The combination of a line-circuit having receiving-instrumentslocated therein, coils O and D,of different resistances, located uponthe same core, with an armature, E, and its lever, contact-springs, andcircuit-closing devices actuated by said armature to first make contactwith said springs to complete the linecircuit through the low-resistancecoil and simultaneously shunt said coil of high-resistance, and alsosaid receiving-instruments, to ground, and then make a solid contact toinsure the grounding of the line through said low-resistance coil,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of a line-circuithaving receivinginstruments locatedtherein, coils O and D, of different resistances, located upon the samecore, with an armature, E, and its lever, contact-springs,circuit-closing devices actuated by said armature to first make con tactwith said springs to complete the linecircuit through the low-resistancecoil and shunt said receiving-instruments to ground, and then make asolid contact to insure the grounding of the line through saidlow-resistance coil, and means to finally break said originalline-circuit close to the receiving-instruments, and devices to regulatethe time of said break, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an instrument for protecting electric circuits and theirreceiving-instruments from damage by lightning or excessive electricalcharges generally, two coils of wire of different resistances carriedupon the same core and acting upon an armature, in combination with aline-wire in circuit with the coil of highest resistance, and havingreceiving-instruments thereon, mechanism controlled by the armature tofirst shunt said receiving-instruments and throw the low-resistancecoils into circuit, and then break the original linecircuit close to thereceiving-instruments when the said line becomes overcharged withelectricity, and means to regulate the time of said break in the lineclose to said receiving-instruments, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

6. The combination of electro-magnet B, having coils C and D, ofdifferent resistances,

IIO

armaturelever F, armature E, contact-spring O, contact-screw M, means toput said coil D in circuit upon moving said armature, re-

ceiving-instruments X, and connecting-cir- 5 cuits, substantially asshown.

7. The combination of electro-magnet 13, having coils G and D,ofdifferent resistances, armature-1ever F, armature E, contact-spring O,contact-screw M, means to put said coil D 10 in circuit, contact-bar I,contact-standards J J, receiving-instruments X, and connectingcircuits,substantially as shown.

8. The combination of clcctro-inagnct B,

having coils C and D, of different resistances, armature-lever F,armature E, contact-spring 15 O, contact-screw M, means to put said coilD in circuit, contact-bar I, contact-standards J J, springs K,receiving-instrnincnts X, and connecting-circuits, substantially asshown.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto 20 set my hand.

JOSIAH \V. DYER.

Vii-messes:

WILLuar MCWADE, R. M. HUNTER.

